Boot and shoe and prepared insole therefor



Se t. l p 927 B. F. HARTWELL BOOT AND SHOE AND PREPARED INSOLE THEREFOR Filed Feb. 24. 1925 Patented Sept. 20, 1927.

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN F. HARTWEL'L, OF WINCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOOT AND SHOE ANDYREPARED INSOLE THEREEOR;

Application filed February embodying my present invention enables the shoe to be so constructed and arranged as to retain extreme flexibility along the forepart, or forepart and shank. This feature is an important object, particularly for McKay shoe construction, wherein the uniting of the insole and outsole by through and through stitching, necessarily renders the shoe structure stiff and non-flexible. My present improvement overcomes this objection, and enables a McKay type of shoe to be made of extreme flexibility and also of an economical, simple and efficient construction.

In carrying out my invention. I utilize a novel form of laminated insole, wherein the.

insole structure retains the desirable features'of a leather layer or surface'in foot receiving position, in combination with a water resistant and moisture proof layer or face of the insole. In making. this prepared. insole, I am enabled to' use an extremely thin and therefore flexible and eco-' noinical leather layer for the foot contacting face, which also constitutes a stitch retainlug member. For-the waterproof layer or face. I preferably employ a sheet of open textile material, such as buckram, jute or the like. This open textile material insuresflexibility and the same is treated with a rubberized solution or surface, which treatment affords water-proofing, fills the interstices of the openwork textile weave in buckram, jute and the like, without stiffening the same, and also permits an extremely thin, strong article which ideally combines with a thin leather layer into my complete laminated and yet flexible and stitch-retaining insole. Furthermore, the rubberized solution or treatment for the buckram, generally presents a slightly roughened surface, which is in direct contact through the greater part of its area, with the outsole, it being custom- 24, 1925. Serial No. 11,121.

ary to make McKay shoes Without filling be.-

tveen insole and outsole, and this rough:

surface layer in contact with the leather out-- sole affording this desirable result. Thus I obtain an extremely strong, flexible, stitchretaining insole member, which can be economically made, out or died toform, and incorporated into McKay shoe construction.

I may, if desired, also coat the leather surface of the insole, with felt, which adds the further feature of giving a desirable thick ness to the complete insole and permits the through and through or McKay stitching to sink entirely within the thickness of the felt layer, preventing the objectionable feature of a ridge in the foot contacting surface of the insole. This felt surface, however, is optional, and when used may be secured in position by. any suitable adhesive. I i

The novel combination of a thin layer of leather, which can be a leather skiving, or

' ot herwise waste material, which, however, wlllbe of ample strength to retain the stitching in a McKay shoe construction, and which will readily adhereto a rubberized buckram,

united by any desirable adhesive, and which also will readily enable a felt layer to be cemented of united to the other surface, is, 1

I believe, a distinct novelty in this art, and I wish to claim the same herein broadly.

Referring to the drawings; illustrating a preferred embodiment of'my invention,

'lFig. 1 is a plan view of my laminated inso e;

withv the felt surface;

'Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line of the insole shown in Fig. 1;

. Fig. l is a cross-sectional .view on the Fig. 2 is a similar plan view of the insole line 4+4 of the insole shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 illustrates a fragmentary portion of a McKay boot or shoe construction, utilizing my improved insole construction.

As shown in the drawings, my laminated insole 1, may be and preferably is, made either in sheet layers, and died out therefrom, or is made of appropriately died or cut blanks, and these blanks then united by cement or other adhesive. As illustrated in Fig. 3, showing on anenlarged scale, the insole comprises a leather layer 2, and a loosely woven textile layer 3 to which is applied a rubberized; or waterproofing solution 4. This layer 2 may be and preferably is, ex-

treinely thin, and therefore of much less expense for leather than would be an ordinary McKay insole for the same shoe. The loosely woven textile layers 3 Withthe rubber solution 4:, constitute practically one layer, and are united and prepared 'beforerbeing cemented to the leather layer 2. The rubber or waterproof solution 4: will practically unite with and fill the interstices of the loosely Woveii layer 3,- giving a firm waterproof coating oh the surface 5 next the outsole, 15, while the foot contacting surface 6 is of leather, preventing the rubberized solution from undesi able contact with the foot of the" wearer, and eliihinating sweating or drawing of the same. Ilind that I can 'en'1ploy, vei'y advantageously, for the layers and t, the material now tised'for automobile tops, tire, trunk and bag covers, and the like, this being: inade of eiitre in'ely flexibleinaterial and affording an inexhaustible and econoini-cal source of supply. This material is usually waved slightly or pebbled, or with a slightly corrugated rubberized surface a finish, and l find that this is desirable in adding resiliency between insole and outsole, as well as preventing squeaking, althbtigh the'contact of a rubberized surface with the leather outsole will itself eliminate squeaking during walking.

The leather layer 2 affording the desirable features above noted, as well as giving" stitch retaining ineans to the coinplete'insole, andstifl'ness and vbody to the saine,'while he rubberized buckran'i gives" waterpro'ofness and added thickness desired for a suitable McKay insole, afford an ideal combination for this purpose and both unite firmly to each other by any suitable adhesive.

In-Fig'. t I have illustrated a modified form of the invention, wherein the leather layer 2 is united to the rubberized layers 3 and 4 on one surface and on the opposite surfaceis' secured by adhesive to a felt layer 8. The addition of this felt layer does not detract froin the resiliency of my laminated insole, while it imparts to sanie slightly added thickness, and also gives the very desirable feature of enabling the McKay stitching 10, uniting the laminated insole. the, upper 12. and outsole 1am sink within the depth of the felt 8, and thus be concealed from contact with the foot of the wearer.

Thus as shown in Fig. 5, I provide an improved boot and shoe construction of the McKay type, wherein a laminated and waterproof insole of extremely economical and flexible materials, with stitch retaining layer, waterproofed layer, and if desired a cushioning layer 8, areunited, giving greater iiexibility'than is secured by a leather insole of equal strength, with the added feature of n'ioistureproofnes's. I am aware that laininated insoles of various kinds have been suggested heretofore, but so far as I am advised,- such lan'iinated "insoles always resulted in afstilier and less flexible article; were necessarily expensive, and could not be and were notused for giving flexibility to a McKay shoe, in combination with waterproofness, stitch retaining amiecenomy of production. The rubberized surface and s-o'- lution l, is of sufficient depth and tenacity to close tightly about the stitching as same is applied, thus preventing moisture from following the stitching through; This is a feature which I believe has not before'bee'n contemplated, and gives great desirability to my coni'bined shoe construction.

My present invention is further described and defined in the form of claims as follows: j

1. A li lcKa-y insole, comprising a pinra'lity of layers united by adhesive, an-iiit'erinediatelayer being of thin leather, a layer of fabric united with said leather'on one surface, and a layer of felt o'n'the opposite surface, together with a waterproof iinpreghating material carried by the fabric layer. A 2. Ah IcKay boot or shoefc'oin prising an insole, upper materials, and outsole, through and through stitching uniting the saine, waterproofingon the lower surface of the insole about the'st-itching whereby moisture is prevented from following through the same i in combination with a cushionin 7 i 3 layer on the uppersurface of the insole, through which the hticKay stitching will be drawn and concealed.

In testimony whereohl have signed my name to this specification.

BENJAMIN r. HARTWELL.

ion 

